Arch-supporter.



' T. HUGHES & G. J. WALSH.

ARCH ,SUPPORTER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 191g.

Patented Feb. 14, I911.

INVENIUHJ T 0711/00.)" Jfzoched T. HUGHES is G. J. WALSH.

ARCH SUPPDRTEE. APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 7, 1910.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911'.

2 BKEET8-SHEET 2.

' of the potent stated inthat in lieu of the tint platelnwing rigidly held overlapping" To all whom it may concern:

UNITED sTA'nEs PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS HUGHES AND CHARLES J. WALSH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

ARCH-S UPPORTER.

Specification of Lettrslacent.

PatentedFeb. 14, 1911.

Application filed June 7, 1919. Serial No. 565,536.

Be it known that We, THOMAS Hooi'ms, residing at Somerville, Boston, Massachusetts and CHARLES J. VVALsI-I, residing ,at Cambridge, Boston, Massachusetts, have invented certain new 'and useful Improvements in Arch-Supporters, of which the fol lowing is a specification.

Our invention is an improved etch-sup porter for use in boots and shoes, to snpport the arch of the foot, thereby assisting in reducing liat-footedness, or any tendency thereto in the wearer, and the invention is an improvement and modification of the device disclosed in the patent granted to Thomas Hughes, ,#9 10,022, on November 16, 1909. In the patent referred to itwill be observed two elongated plates'are provided, one end of each of which overlaps the other and such ends are adjustably connected together at. such overlapping plates, the other end of each of the plates'having a groove or depression to form a stop. Between the stops of the plates flat spring plates are held. The elongated plates'have thgii: free ends secured to a body of leather, or some other suitable material, which conforms to the-shape of the foot and the arch thereof. ln the patent referred to hereinbeforcnlso the elongated plates are eacl'ni'lat frointhe groove to theoverlapping ends and such overlapping ends are rigidly secured together by a bolt 01' nutoft-er the regular adjustment has been made.

Our present invention differs from that a ends, we provide two transversely elongated Help or cup-like'bodios' which are securedv 1G1 to the leather lnnly at'i definite distance t1i)tll'i, l) i'ivetsi'hat flnssthrough ears on the outdo edges oiihe cup. nnd one or'inorc' leaf spring plaice are held between the cup and the leatherbody v-iththcn' ends in he cup, the. leaf springs henig placed side'liy side to lie in the same plane or surface.

e i t I In the modified toi'm oi: thh present invontion the cups may he john-d h'ngother liy an integral narrow;bridge"which con: forms as nearly as may hoto the curvature of the spring or the cups may he joined by a bridge; formed by a. tm'nrue on each cup that of one ei1 ').la pin,;' over the other, the tongues being slidably secured together. When this latter form of the invention is used, a double spring member having a contral. cut away portion to receive the bridge,

drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a. ,side elevation showing the application of the invention. porspectiveviewof the semi-flexible or flexible body. Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the cup and spring, showing one form of the invention. Fig. 4, a perspective View of one of the cups alone. Fig. 5, is a perspective view of a modified constriction the integral Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views of-the parts shown in Fig. 5 separated; F ig. 8,

is a perspective viewof another inodiiica-- iion showing the slidable section bridge form of the device. Figs. 9 and 10, are detail perspective views of the parts shown in F i 8 se arated. Fi 11 is a vertical lon-' a b parts shown in. 1* 1g.

gitndinal section of the 8.. Fig. 12, is a top plan view of a slightly modifiedconstruction shown in Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive.

Referring now to drawings, in which like lcttersand numerals of reference indicate like parts in all of the figures nnd referring particularly to the form shown in Fig. 1, it will he observed that we provide a pair of cups 1 each consisting of a flat body having uptmitned pe riphoral portions .1, 1", 1.", to form a cnp, the peripheral portion 'l'-"bcin,g' bent one wardly parallel to the body 1 to forinears 1 whichare apertured at l to 'I'ECPlVO the rivets .livhich secure the cup 1 to the flexible "'oi' scmi llmible leather or other hodylO that conforms to the shape of the foot."

.In the form shmvnjn Fig. 1 it will he noticed that leaf springs2 of arch-form in side elevation are provided and held between the cups 1 and. the body 10, the ends of the springs 2 being curved at 2 to rest in the cup I and to have inovei'nent therein.

Fig. 2, is a the accompanying reference being had to the accompanyingshowing bridge between the cups.

When the form shown in Fig. 1 is om p plovvd, we prefer to use three s 'n'ing;-:, the outer ones 2 -2 and the inner one-2 Tnd'he form of the invention shown inl ig. 5, it" will be observed that the cups 1 are joined by an integral arch bridge 1 which takes the place ofthe spring 2 in the form shown in Fig. 1, and also serves to unite the cups 11 by an integral connection.

I bers 22 form, as itwere, a single spring plate having a central cutaway portion to receive the bridge I it being understood that the curvature of the plate formed by the members 2"2 and that of the bridge 1" are as nearly as practicable the same.

In the form shown in Fig. 8, instead of making the bridge that connects the cup 1, as an integral bridge, it is made by two tongues f'j, one carried by each cup and slidable on' one another the tongues j" being joined by rivets 1 which pass through slots 1 as clearly indicated in Fig. 10, of the drawings, so that the distances between the cups ll may be varied to suit the requirements met with in practice. also the single spring formed by the members 2"-2",'22.may be employed. The spring formed by the members 2"-2 has its end-s curled as at a similarly to the end 2 of the spring 2, and for the same purpose.

In the modification shown in Fig. 12, it

will be observed that the cups 1-l lie par allel to one another, as'they do also in the form shown in Fig. lot the drawings. In the form shown in Fig. 8, the cups 11 lie at angle to one another so that theyconverge toward one another.

In either of the forms of the invention the cups 11 may be made parallel to one another or at an angle to oneanother as conditions may make necessary in practice.

From the foregoing it will be noticed that each of the forms of our invention disclose in their generic nature a pair of. cops secured to the body member and adapted to receive the ends of leaf springs which are bowed in side elevation. When one of the springs in the middle is. omitted its place may be taken by abridge portion that connectsthe cups 1--l together, the essential principle of construction running through all the forms.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction and advantages of ourinvention will be ,tween said cups.

111 this form' What we claim is 1. A body member, a pair of separate and independent cups secured to said body member and spaced apart, and a leaf spring removably held with its ends restingin said cups and curved to engage said body be- 2. A body member, a pair of'cups secured to said member and spaced apart, and a plurality of leaf springs held with their ends resting in said cups and curved to engage said b'ody between said cups all of said leaf springs being held in substantially the same plane side by side.

3. A body member, a pair of Cape secured to said member and spaced apart, and a plurality ofleaf springs i'einovably held with their ends resting in said cups and'curved to engage said body between'said cups, said sprin being spared apart and connected 'together at their cup ends. I

4. A'body member, a pair of cups secured to' said member and spaced apart, a pinrality of leaf springs removably held with their ends restingin said cups and curved to engage said body between said cups, sa d springs being spaced apart and connected together-at their cupends, and a bridge connecting said cups together and lying in the space between said springs.

5. A body member, a pair of cups secured to said member and spaced apart, aplurality of leaf springs removably held with their ends resting in said cups and curved to engage saidbody between said cups, said springs. being spaced-apart and connected to:

'gether at their cup ends, and an extensible bridge connecting said cups together. .i

6. A body member, a pair of cups secured their ends resting in said cups and curved to engage said body between said cups said springs being spaced apart and connected together at their cup'ends, and anextensible bridge connecting said cups together, said "bridge lying in the space between said springs.

THOMAS infants. GI-IARLES J. WALSH. \Vitne'sses:

MAE E. 'LI-HVIS, OLMoRn G. FRANGML.

.to said member and-spaced apart, a plu- 'rali-ty of leaf springs removably held with 

